Shannon confronts her demons in the Biggest Loser house

ARARAT - Shannon Woolley decided to put family first this week on The Biggest Loser and left the house to return to Ararat to be with her daughter who was undergoing surgery.

Upon her arrival back in town the mother of two told The Ararat Advertiser everything had gone well with her six year old's tonsil operation and that she was relishing being on Michelle's secret Red Team.

"Everything is fine now, but at the time I just wanted to get back to my family," Shannon said.

"Since returning my main focus has been to keep sticking to my diet and try and keep a similar routine to what I had in the house."

Shannon was the lightest contestant in season nine of The Biggest Loser but still managed to lose 11.2kgs before departing the game.

She said family was always the motivating factor for her during her time on the weight loss program.

"I decided to apply because I felt I was going to things with my girls but I wasn't actually being a part of it. I was taking them to things, but then sitting on the sidelines," she said.

"I just wanted to start living life.

"My starting weight was 97.2kg, which was a surprise to me. I didn't have scales at home because I didn't want to know so it was a shock to see that number come up at the first weigh-in.

"That was a horrible feeling walking up in front of my parents, brother, my kids and husband. You always do your best to hide your body from your loved ones."

Shannon was part of the ill-fated Blue Team, that lost five consecutive weigh-ins which saw team members eliminated week after week.

The 36-year-old found herself on the chopping block just once, last week against Natalie Wohlers, but survived being sent home because her fellow Ararat Champions didn't feel she had reached her full potential.

Shannon said she had her 'break through' the following day, when training with Royal Australian Navy clearance diver and shark attack survivor Paul de Gerder.

She said some of the challenges were 'just excruciating', while living under the constant spotlight of cameras was a challenge in itself.

"I found it hard in the house mainly because I was missing the girls and my husband Scott so much," she said.

"The training I found really hard too but after two or three weeks your body starts getting use to backing it up and retraining.

"Shannan, I respect him a lot and what he does. Since coming home he has made contact and a few weeks ago my dad had a stroke and Shannan was one of the first to call.

"The Biggest Loser has changed my life and changed who I am. The way I get up in the morning and tackle life is completely different now."

With the program now at the halfway mark, Shannon said she will be working hard in the final weeks to achieve her goal by the finale.

"At the finale I just want to see the scales flash up with a six in front of my weight, even if it is 69.9kg I'll be happy with that," she said.

"Anyone out there that is thinking about giving it a go, just do it.

"As hard as it might seem, you can achieve your goals. There are plenty of people out there who are just like I was and you just need to begin."